Narrows Bar

What it is: In a time when “1930′s Speakeasy” is becoming a Brooklyn bar genre, The Narrows delivers everything you would want: funky, great drinks, and just crowded enough to have an excuse to move closer to your date (or talk to the guy on the barstool next to you). Why we love it: Being waited on by beautiful, friendly people with mixology skills, in a decor that’s sumptuously retro but not ostentatious; waiting on the warm weather for garden enjoyment, and listening to plenty of Beatles (Heavens to Betsy, never too loud to talk)… what’s not to love?Who to bring: Cocktail nostalgics, first dates, Beatles-lovers, absinthe- and whiskey-lovers, that quiet-eyed loft-living girl you’ve been trying to impress with your savoir faire.What to order: The Flowers in the Attic cocktail is delightful, the Manhattans leave nothing to be desired, and I can’t wait to try a Word (green chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, lime juice, bitters, scotch, jalapeño infused tequila). Yes, the cocktails are a little more than elsewhere, but the others don’t offer fresh-made mixers, seasonal drinks or hooks for your purse under the bar. The beers are all small craft breweries: Sixpoint, Green Flash and Smuttynose, to name a few.Narrows fun fact: It’s extremely easy to walk right by (unless there’s the weekend crowd of smokers), so look for the front doors — owners Keith Cochran and Matt Weber (of the Soft Spot) brought them from a diner in Scranton, Pa.Brokelyn